'09 FL LB Conor O'Neill (Wisconsin Verbal)

[Bernini]

PalmettoSports.com | South Carolina Recruiting | Phil Kornblut | GoUpstate.com

9/14

O'Neill officially visited Clemson and was thrilled with how the trip went. He didn't commit though and will take his remaining visits.

[Bernini]

Rivals $

O'Neill loved the game day atmosphere at Auburn and was impressed by their defense. However, he still maintains that both Tigers and Wisconsin are dead even. He'll take his visit to Wisconsin when they play Ohio State and then plans to decide 2 weeks subsequent.

[Bernini]

Rivals $

10/2

Is excited to visit Wisconsin this weekend. Heard good things about the atmosphere from a couple friends who are Badger fans. Loves the attention he's receiving from the UW staff. This will be his last visit and will decide between UW, Auburn, and Clemson soon afterward.

[TroyD92]

I dont understand he wants to play baseball right? does he know we don't have a baseball program or has he not been informed?

[badgerbasketball33]

shhh.

[OnWisconsin07]

O'Neill had a great time at the game. He talked to a lot of recruits, including a new WR from FL, Stedman Bailey. Sounds like he will be a Badger. Somewhat let it slip when he says he will spend the next 4 years at Camp Randall.

Article:
http://wisconsin.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=859252

Stedman's profile:
Stedman Bailey - Football Recruiting

Note: Also, O'Neill wrote on Fenton's facebook wall that he thinks he is going to be a Badger. Sounds like we might get a commit soon

[TroyD92]

I dont know that he knows that we dont have a baseball team lol.

[OnWisconsin07]

Haha......I know.

Although I bet he's talked to the coaches about it. Maybe he could play for a league in the area. What are the options in the Madison area for baseball?

[Bernini]

Originally Posted by OnWisconsin07

Haha......I know.

Although I bet he's talked to the coaches about it. Maybe he could play for a league in the area. What are the options in the Madison area for baseball?

CPortBucky earlier in this thread talked about the Madison Mallards as a possible option for O'Neill, but if he played their entire season he'd miss a week of fall camp, and more if they made the playoffs. A full season there as a freshman would certainly preclude him from contributing because he wouldn't know the defense yet. I don't know how flexible each coaching staff would be long-term sharing his responsibilities.

[dharrisfan2003]

Conor O'Neill is a Badger!

Badgers Get 2nd SoFLA Commit | soflafootball.com

[Bernini]

That's pretty sweet news! (albeit somewhat expected since he let the cat tail out of the bag last night)

Go Madison Mallards! Even better, it would be convenient for Conor, however, a smidgen suspicious, if the Brewers drafted and assigned him to their new affiliate in Appleton.

Hopefully he'd join fall camp in time because Bucky could really use his coverage ability and athleticism at the OLB spot to compliment our other young backers like Rouse, Hubbard, and Taylor.

If he committed with the understanding he'd play baseball at UW, this was the best cover up since Roswell.

[Bernini]

ESPN is pretty complimentary:

Originally Posted by ESPN Evaluation

The only thing O'Neill is lacking is size, but we project that area will quickly improve given his current frame. He has adequate height but is very long, rangy and looks to still have another few inches of height and a ton of physical development left. Could end up at 6-foot-3 225 pounds by the time he graduates college while retaining his great range and acceleration. This kid can flat out run and is a prototypical sideline-to-sideline guy. Lacks great initial burst but accelerates to top-speed very quickly and closes hard and fast. Takes direct angles to the ball. There are not too many plays on the field he can't track down with his speed and long wingspan. Strong tackler who delivers a good pop on contact. Very fluid with good bend and change-of-direction skill attacking on the perimeter. All the physical tools needed to develop into a good blitzer at the college level and should flourish in a heavy pressure system. While he sifts well through the wash he does struggle at times getting over blocks and could have difficulty holding his base at the point of attack in college until he fills out his lean frame. Needs to work on hand and shedding technique. Does not always diagnoses the play quickly allowing blockers to reach him on the cutoff. With that said, O'Neill is definitely falling under the national radar due to his lack of size and listed 40 time but this kid plays fast, physical and has a ton of college upside. Great prospect.

ESPN's Inside the U (Miami affiliate)

Conor O'Neill, outside linebacker
St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)
Uncommitted

Although he isn't a real burner or physically intimidating, O'Neill is an active and productive linebacker who is always around the football. The 6-1 195-pounder is somewhat of a tweener in terms of size. Still, he is equally effective against both the run and pass.

I had the opportunity to see him in action in Cincinnati when St. Thomas played Elder High in the opening game for O'Neill and his Pirates in the Herbstreit Classic last month. It's easy to see why St. Thomas head coach George Smith is so high on his star linebacker.

O'Neill is a very fluid defender; he displays change-of-direction skills as he covers from sideline to sideline. He has solid fundamentals in terms of zone-pass defense and is quick enough to play a tight end man-to-man.

The biggest question with O'Neill will be his ability to gain some more bulk at the next level. If he does not, many think he can play strong safety. I think he'll get stronger and a little bigger and will remain at the linebacker position, at which he can be a very solid player at the next level.

He is starting to pick up a lot of recognition from major Division I schools, especially from the SEC, Big Ten and Big East conferences. O'Neill should become another of the many successful players from one of the most-treasured high school football programs in the country.

[Bernini]

Broward County High School Sports | Sun Sentinel Blogs | October 2008 Archives

10/9

When St. Thomas Aquinas linebacker Conor O'Neill spoke to players and coaches at Wisconsin during his recruiting experience, he learned first-hand how big a priority recruiting Florida is for the Badget program.
One look at the Wisconsin roster shows why. The Badgers feature 10 players from Florida, including two--Boyd Anderson alum Kevin Claxton and Fort Lauderdale grad Xavier Harris--from Broward County.
But in a little over a week, Wisconsin has put themselves in position to at least double the number of Broward players on their roster next season. O'Neill and Northeast's David Gilbert have both verbally committed to Wisconsin and are looking forward to playing football up north.
"Florida is known nationally for producing athletes," O'Neill said. "I think it's beneficial for them to be recruiting in South Florida. Here in the three counties and the rest of Florida, we play top-notch programs. We've got the best competition."
Expect the Badgers to continue recruiting South Florida aggressively--O'Neill himself said he's working on some of his St. Thomas teammates. And a few other Broward players have visits lined up to Madison.
And that old myth that South Florida guys don't like cold weather? They'll deal just fine if it's the right situation Gilbert said.
"It's not something that's going to stop me, even though I thought about it," he said. "I don't have a coat yet and that coldest I'm used to is the air-conditioning in my first hour class, but it'll be okay."

Side Note: O'Neill's St. Thomas Aquinas squad is rated #1 in the nation by ESPN/Rise Magzine. If he could seriously convince a couple of his teammates to select Wisconsin the next couple years the O'Neill commitment would be a gift that kept on giving.